Paul was raised by devout Jewish parents in the port city of Tarsus on the coast of Asia Minor. His father was a Roman citizen; how he acquired this honor we're not told.

Paul was proud of his heritage as a Jew and his status as a Roman. He described himself as a Hebrew of the Hebrews, trained at the feet of Gamaliel.

No person, apart from Jesus himself, shaped the history of the Christian church like the apostle Paul -- even before he became a believer in the Christ.

His persecution of Christians after Stephen's death spurred followers to take the gospel to the known world. However, Paul's personal encounter with Jesus changed his life forever.

Strengths:

*  Transformed by God from a persecutor of Christians to a preacher for Christ

*  Preached for Christ throughout the Roman Empire on three missionary journeys

*  Wrote letters to various churches, which began part of the New Testament

*  Faced issues and dealt with them

*  Obeyed as God directed and was sensitive to His leading